METEORIC STONES AND SHOOTING STARS. 730 



Charleston, S. C. The duration of flight 'was variously estimated from 6 

 seconds to 30 seconds, but was moi^ probably 7 or 8 seconds, for the whole 

 line, which would be from 30 to 35 miles per second. Explosions were; 

 heard echoing like thunder from 3 to 5 minutes after at Knoxville, Rome 

 and Pitts' Cross Roads, Tenn. 



Some accounts make the apparent size of the meteor larger than that of 

 the moon. Yisible explosions were observed during its flight, during which 

 multiLudes of sparks were throw^n ofl^. In connection with this Prof. ISew- 

 ton considers that those meteors whose velocities are relatively great are 

 burnt up or dissipated before reaching the ground: those whose velocities 

 are slow furnish aerolites. 



Meteor of August 6, 1860. — At 7 h 38' New York mean time, a fire ball 

 about as brilliant as Yenus was visible from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Roxbury, 

 Masfi. jSTear the middle of its course it appeared to distant observers to 

 separate into two parts, while thosi; who were nearer saw it continually 

 giving otF fragments. Its time of flight was about 6 seconds, and velocity 

 about 14 miles per second. 



It first appeared 39 miles above the earth, nearly over the southern line 

 of Pennsylvania, in N. lat. 39° 3d', W. long. 76° 45\ and passing iST. 80° W. , 

 to a point 36 miles above the earth and west of Buffalo where it was last 

 seen. The total length of its path was 250 miles. || 



Dr. J. Lawrence Smith, in his scientific researches, speaks of a meteorite 

 that was seen to fall two miles west of Petersburgh, Lincoln county, Tenn., 

 at 3:30 p. m., August 5, 1865, during or just after a severe rain storm. It 

 ayjparently came from the east, and while falling, appeared to be surrounded 

 by a milky halo. Its fall was preceded by a loud report, resembling that 

 of a lai'ge cannon, followed by four or five lesser reports. It was buried 

 eighteen inches in the ground, and was of small size', only fourteen and a 

 half ounces, of an ashy-gray color, varied by patches of white, yellowish 

 and dark minerals, and incrusted with a black shiny coat. It was mag- 

 netic, with a specific gravity of 3.20. It contained Pyroxene, Olivine, and 

 Orthoclase, disseminated. Nickeliferous iron formed half per cent, of the 

 mass, and nickel a very small quantity. 



Several meteorites of similar appearance were seen to fall at Danville, 

 Ala., at 5 p. m., November 27, 1868. A piece weighing four and a half 

 pounds was buried one and a half feet deep in the ground. It contained 

 three per cent, of iron, with a very small per cent, of nickel and cobalt, 

 and had a somewhat oolitic structure. 



The Searsniont, Maine, meteorite, which fell May 21, 1871, at 8 a, M., 

 was embedded two feet in the ground and broken into several fragments. 

 Its total ■ weight was twelve pounds. It contained of nickeliferous iron, 

 14.62; stony matter, 85.38 per cent. 



Dr. J. Lawrence Smith observed at Louisville, Kentucky, just after sun- 



t C. S. Lyman in American Journal, September, 1860. 

 II H. A. N., in American Journal of Science, May, 1862, 



